Melvin W. 'Mouse' Iseneker

Boonville - Melvin W. Iseneker , 83, of Summit Street and formerly of Thornton Avenue, passed away after a long illness on Sunday, November 23, 2008, at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Utica. A native of Boonville, Melvin was born on January 23, 1925, a son of Albert J., and Florence Bourgeois Iseneker. He grew up on Ann Street, and attended Boonville High School until age sixteen, then later earned his GED. He worked at several jobs in Boonville; the last, before entering WWII, was at the Sheffield Milk Plant where he made butter and cheese. On April 28, 1943, Mr. Iseneker entered the U.S. Army where he volunteered for the paratroopers. First reporting to Camp Upton, Long Island, he then went on to Camp Wheeler in Macon, GA for his basic training. In November 1943 he was transferred to Fort Benning, GA to attend paratrooper training. On December 24, 1943 he received his Parachute Silver Wings, and in May 1944 his company was moved to Camp Shanks, near New York City, where they boarded the RMS Queen Mary ocean liner on May 30. Upon arriving in the outer harbor of Glasgow, Scotland on June 5, the company was transferred to a sheepboat, then continued on to Liverpool, England. From Liverpool, they were sent inland to Aldborne to await the arrival of the troops of the 101st Division who were coming from southern France after taking part in the invasion of Normandy on June 6. Melvin then trained with Company C 506 Regiment 101st Airborne Division at Swindon, England until September. Late that month he commenced airfield training for his company's mission, "Operation Market Garden". On September 17, he and his company parachuted into the village of Son, Holland, located about 25 miles behind enemy lines. On September 18 they moved southward and liberated the city of Eindhoven, Holland. On October 6, 1944, Private Iseneker was severely wounded by a German tank shell during a battle at the village of Opheusden, which the Allied Forces had taken the day before. During his perilous journey through enemy fire from the battlefield to safety, Melvin was again injured by a shell that exploded next to him. He was taken to a hospital in Holland; from there he was transferred to a hospital in Brussels, Belguim, then to an American hospital in England that was located in a quanset hut. In Pvt. Iseneker's words, his stay there was "horrible". He was later transferred by train to Glasgow, Scotland, where he boarded the RMS Queen Elizabeth ocean liner. He arrived in the United States on December 7. Pvt. Iseneker continued his recovery in military hospitals, eventually being discharged from Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C., where, in his words, "I stayed from February 1945, getting put back together," until his honorable discharge from Company C 506th Parachute Infantry Division on July 3, 1946. Pvt. Iseneker related that during his stay at Walter Reed Army Hospital he met and often visited with General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing of WWI fame. Pvt. Iseneker and Gen. Pershing were both in wheelchairs, and the General would always stop and visit with Pvt. Iseneker, who recalled the General as a "nice old fellow." Pvt. Iseneker received the following awards and citations from his military career: two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Star Medals, the Combat Infantrymans Badge, European Theater Medal, the WWII European Victory Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Dutch Lanyard, several citations from Dutch villages for liberation, and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross from Governor George Patacki. After his recovery, Mr. Iseneker returned to Boonville where he resumed his civilian life. For a time he operated his own lumberjack taxi service, transporting the many loggers who did not drive in and out of the woods. After that he attended the American School of Aircraft Instruments, finishing in July 1949. Despite promising opportunities of employment with Pacific Airmotive and other airlines, Mr. Iseneker returned to Boonville and took the test for the position of a rural letter carrier. On March 12, 1951, he began his career as a carrier at the Boonville Post Office, a position he held until retiring on May 26, 1973. For many years Mr. Iseneker served his community as a member of the Boonville Fire Co. and Ambulance service. He was an EMT and ambulance driver who helped many people in need. On July 13, 1951, Melvin was united in marriage with Arvilla E. Cyr Strobel Trombley in Great Bend, PA. Mrs. Iseneker died on January 24, 1998. Melvin was a member of St. Joseph's Church, Boonville; a life member of the 101st Airborne Division Association, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Disabled American Veterans; he was a charter and life member of Harland J. Hennessey Post VFW and a member of Charles J. Love Post American Legion, both of Boonville. He was a charter member of the Boonville Elks Lodge #2158, and president of the former Vet's Home on Schuyler Street during the time that the VFW and American Legion were both located there. He was also a member of AARP. Mr. Iseneker is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Brad P. and Eileen Iseneker, Ormond Beach, FL, and Greg A. and Colleen Iseneker, Boonville; several grandchildren and step grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and several step great-grandchildren; two step daughters, Gayle Rhoades and her husband, Robert, Baldwinsville, and Andrea Bounds, Ocean City, MD. Also surviving is one sister and brother-in-law, Geraldine and William Hall, Boonville and Greensboro, NC. Melvin was predeceased by one brother, Hubert Iseneker in 2004, and by a step son, George Strobel. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service on Monday, December 1, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. at the Trainor Funeral Home, Inc., 143 Schuyler Street. Boonville, where Rev. Donald H. Karlen, pastor of St. Joseph's Church of Boonville, will officiate. Interment will be in the spring in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Boonville. There are no calling hours. Memorial contributions may be made to Boonville Fire Co. Ambulance Fund, PO Box 164, Boonville, NY 13309, or to St. Joseph's Church Memorial Fund.